1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an electrical jumper connector unit for electrically connecting between two external electrical connector elements mounted in an electronic apparatus such as information processing apparatus or a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manner which will later be described more in detail, a conventional jumper connector unit comprises two electrical connector elements and a cable connecting the two connector elements with each other.
One of the two connector elements is mated with a first external connector element mounted on, for example a circuit board contained in the personal computer, while the other connector element is mated with a second external connector element mounted on another circuit board in the same personal computer, so that the first and the second external connector elements are connected to each other through the jumper connector unit. Thus, the two circuit boards are electrically connected to each other by means of the jumper connector unit.
In the condition, the cable is exposed and extends outside the electronic device with or without a curved portion. The outside extending cable portion makes an obstacle which any person or any one could carelessly catch, thus leading to an accident.
Generally speaking, the connector elements and the first and the second external connector elements are multi-contact ones each having a plurality of contacts. The cable connecting the two connector elements with each other comprises a plurality of conductors each connecting one of contacts in one of the two connector elements and a corresponding one of contacts in the other of two connector elements. Those conductors are insulated from one another but are bundled together covered with an insulating sheath to form a single cable. The single cable is therefore comparatively large in diameter and hard in rigidity. Therefore, when the jumper connector unit is used for connecting the first and the second connector elements disposed in the vicinity with each other as often seen in the personal computer, the cable is required to be comparatively long so that the curved portion becomes comparatively large to permit the two connector elements to be mated with the first and the second external connector elements disposed in the vicinity of each other. In the case, existence of the large curved portion renders the conventional jumper connector unit more bulky and dangerous.
Further, the conventional jumper connector unit is complicated in handling because the exposed cable, in particular, the curved portion thereof, can be caught by any one.